Coventina

by Jamie Antonia Symonanis

  “Oh, it’s true alright, as true and real as what we are into now,” Denise said. Show her something, she said to Layla.

  Okay. Tell her to keep her eye on the couch.

  AC.

  Aja quickly looked up from her meal at Denise.

  Yes. It was I. Layla would like you to keep your eye on the couch.

  “Okay,” she replied quietly.

  Layla turned towards the room the couch was in and lifted it until it was hovering in the middle of the room. She then made it spin, faster and faster until it was spinning as fast as a top, before stopping it abruptly and returning it to its original spot on the floor effortlessly.

  A small piece of lasagna fell off of Aja’s fork as she continued to stare at the couch.

  She wanted to toss around my car the morning she started to master things.

  “I am impressed.”

  “Would you like another slice of lasagna?” Layla asked.

  “Yes please, but just a small one.”

  “When we were in Chicago for Mary’s birthday, I received my first message from Quintus and those he was with,” Denise said.

  They went on to explain everything since that day in Chicago.

  “The Ninth Legion? That is absolutely incredible. May I meet them?”

  “I would see no harm in it. The are not ‘upstairs’ at the moment and are in the U.S. being tourists on the West Coast.”

  “I thought they were in Vegas?” Layla said.

  “Well, they started from there anyway. Today they are in Los Angeles.”

  “So the reports discussed in those emails are true?”

  “Yes. Believe me when I say that those who met their end, as bitter as it seems in the news, deserved it, or much worse.”

  “Oh I believe you.”

  “Are you close to finishing up what you started?” Denise asked.

  “I am. Of course, we have no control over phone conversations or physical communications, but the details about you, and your friend in Washington are gone. I have everything you will need to put together your plans, only now I am beginning to wonder if you really needed me at all.”

  “You’ve been a huge help to us AC. Hey. How would you like to meet them?”

  “Oh I don’t want to travel back to the states right now. Perhaps another time.”

  “Time is a luxury they do not have,” Layla said.

  “No, I meant how would you like to meet them,” Denise said, wearing a huge grin, her arm stretching to point straight up.

  “Them? You mean the friends upstairs?”

  “Come on. I’ll arrange it. I promise you will never look at this planet the same way again.”

  “That is something I’d definitely agree with,” Layla giggled.

  “This I’ve got to see.”

  53

  AC Upstairs

  Denise was able to arrange being picked up within two hours.

  They cleaned up the remnants of their dinner and were taken on a brief tour of some of the sights Paris had to offer as the sun departed in the west, bathing the city in a glorious golden glow.

  Heading down Boulevard Bourdon, Layla put the Mustang into stealth. “Is your seat belt fastened?”

  Aja laughed.

  “Seriously, please fasten your seat belt.” Denise said.

  “If you insist.”

  We’re meeting them here, Denise said, pointing to her iPhone.

  Affirmative.

  The Mustang ascended and headed west-southwest, to the large open field Denise chose as a pickup spot.

  “Okay, I believe everything you said,” Aja laughed.

  “Oh, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Denise giggled.

  “Layla, you’re not taking us all the way upstairs are you?”

  “No,” she laughed.

  The Mustang gently touched down on a grassy field surrounded by a tree line on all sides. Night had officially wrapped the region in darkness.

  “I would love to own one of these,” Aja said. “You don’t suppose I could have it secretly reverse engineered do you?”

  “Not this one my dear. Wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands,” Denise said.

  “You are probably right.”

  They were enveloped in the bright light they’d become accustomed to, and quickly taken up into the large craft. In moments they were stepping out of the Mustang into the ambient light of the interior of the craft where they were greeted by An. Welcome.

  Hello and thank you, Denise said.

  They followed An through the first doorway that hissed closed behind them.

  Welcome to Wonderland AC.

  “You simply have to teach me how to do that,” Aja said.

  An brought them to the room that resembled a lounge. Aya will be with you shortly. Before she left the room the far wall vanished into windows affording a view of them leaving Earth’s atmosphere.

  “Oh my. This I could really get used to,” Aja said.

  “Come one, better have a seat at first,” Denise giggled.

  “Its movement seems so effortless.”

  “So was the Tyrine,” Layla said.

  “How far away are we?”

  “Oh wait, I’ve gotten pretty good at this,” Layla laughed. “About, four thousand miles.”

  The soft hum behind them signaled the door opening. Aya entered followed by a tray with glasses on it that stopped directly in front of them. Very good Layla. That is almost precisely how far we are from your planet’s surface.

  “Thank you Aya, and thank you for having us.”

  Aya, allow me to present Aja, Aja, one of your hosts, Aya, Denise said.

  “Thank you for allowing me to accompany my friends here,” Aja smiled.

  “How are our friends doing down there?” Layla asked.

  They have been enjoying a day along your ocean.

  “How much time do they have to decide, before you depart?” Denise asked.

  Approximately five Earth days.

  “We should allow them to spend as much time together, in peace, to make a decision.”

  It is our agreed on plan. Aja, you must have many questions.

  “Ha. I think I’m getting used to that. Yes, I do actually.”

  Feel free to ask what you wish.

  “Really? Okay. First, I am very curious to understand how you know where they are, what they are doing, at any given moment?”

  Aya seemed to float off the chair she appeared to be sitting in and over to the open view of Earth. Our species has evolved with advanced versions of what you on your world have labeled telepathy and telekinesis. We have the ability to locate that which we commune with, some at great distances. The vehicle you are in is an extension of that ability. Much of what you see around you is organic. Some of it exists only in the moment.

  “Fascinating.”

  In our opinion, your species is capable of existing in a similar fashion.

  “We’re slow learners that’s for sure,” Layla said.

  “Does your ability extend to all life?”

  All life? The universe is so vast there is no way to answer that question. All life on your world? Yes.

  They went on to discuss many things, all on a much more technical level than Aya had experienced from anyone else in the group of humans. Aya offered Aja the invitation to stay with them on the ship as long as she liked.

  Denise could teach you how to expand your abilities.

  “Really?”

  “Really?” Denise said.

  Yes. Aja would be very receptive to learning your abilities. In time you could learn to incorporate that power into the world around you. Denise is well beyond that level already.

  “Well, I will try to schedule some classes then,” Denise laughed.

  Aja smiled. When can we start?

  Very good. How about over leftover lasagna?

  It’s a date.

  54

  The Woman

  Lucilla called Denise and spoke for nearly an hour
about their journey thus far, and how good it was for them all to be back in the open air.

  “How is Lucius doing? Has he been shopping for lack of a better way of putting it?”

  “Yes. He seems like a hard one to please, at least romantically. His is perhaps the most inquisitive mind of them all. Always seems to be searching for more.”

  “We might hook up with you somewhere along your journey. Would you mind?”

  “Mind? Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “If we do, we may have a trusted friend with us, a woman. She has been upstairs with us and would love to meet the men before.”

  “Yes. Before. Something weighing on the minds of at least a few of us for sure.”

  “Not everyone? We’ve less than five days before.”

  “Yes. Before. Well Maria and Diana have decided. They’ve no desire to remain here.”

  “Two out of six. Better than none.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going to go. I’ll be in touch. Never been to San Francisco. Why don’t we try to meet up there?”

  “Sounds perfect. We can have a picnic in the park.”

  “Chow.”

  “So, how are things?” Layla asked between sips of coffee. She handed a cup to Denise.

  “Mmm, this is really great coffee. My compliments. They are okay, it seems, but the deadline is weighing on a few of them.”

  “I could imagine. They’d better start shopping for stuff to take with that they will really miss, like a coffee maker.”

  “Oh I know. It is a relief we do not have to make that decision.”

  “Yes it is. You know, I’ve often wondered what we’d have done had we been invited to leave with Nola and the others?”

  “You know, my frame of mind at the time, if you would have been coming with me I would have left in a blink and not looked back,” Denise smiled.

  “You still really miss them don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do.” Denise started a Buddy Holly song on her iPhone; It’s so easy to fall in love.

  “Ha, Good choice. I wish this mess was as easy as the last one looking back on it.”

  “Me too.”

  She received a text from Aja.

  I’M READY

  “Come on, let’s mosey upstairs.”

  Layla followed her up to AC’s world.

  “I’ve found the woman,” Aja said.

  “The woman? Of your dreams?” Denise grinned.

  Aja simply smiled. “Here, take a look at this.”

  Denise and Layla walked over to where she was sitting and looked at the computer screen. What they saw staring back at them was the image of a woman with shoulder length black hair, surrounded by a few very muscular men. It was the woman Denise saw directing the assassins that destroyed Coventina’s family and home.

  “You know her?” Layla asked, seeing the anger in the look Denise was wearing.

  “She is the woman.”

  “You mean the woman, at Coventina’s parents place?”

  Denise just nodded her head, too angry to speak.

  “She is called many things, but her real name is Rosina Stucco,” Aja said.

  “Little Rose,” Layla said.

  “The men on either side of Little Rose are a few of her thugs. The one on the left is Bruno, and on the right, Gaggi.”

  “They don’t look Italian,” Layla said.

  “They’re not. They are Romanian. Real nasty fuckers.”

  “So, how is she tied into those who lost a small fortune when we took Coventina out of their hands?” Denise asked.

  “Birds of a feather my dear. She is but one slice in a very big pie, full of some of the nastiest shit humans can do to other humans. Trafficking. Slavery. Sex Slavery. Prostitution. Drugs. Murder. You can keep going from there. It’s quite a list.

  “Well I know at least a few of them that are no longer part of that pie,” Layla said.

  “Indeed, but it is a very large pie.”

  “Is she in Italy?”

  “Yes she is.”

  Denise walked over to the couch and sat down. “You know I’m going to have to go back there.”

  “You mean we’re going to have to go back there,” Layla said, walking over to a chair to sit down.

  “I would never assume,” Denise giggled.

  “Well you are not going back yet. My work is not finished,” Aja said.

  “Not finished?” Denise said.

  “No. Why go after a slice or two of the pie when you can finish off the entire pie?”

  “The entire pie?”

  “Yes. The entire pie.”

  55

  Triton Hotel

  After a day of mapping out all the pieces of the pie together, having already made arrangements with Aya, Denise, Layla and Aja were picked up in the same spot outside Paris and given a lift to San Francisco. They were dropped off already in stealth in Golden Gate Park. From there they made their way first to a Starbucks, then to the Triton Hotel.

  Denise weighed how much to tell Lucilla and the others about their plans. She had not been with any of them for days, and could not help but wonder what was on the minds of the legionnaires.

  “Look. A parking spot,” Layla said.

  “Look. A Starbucks, and right across the street,” Denise said.

  “You’ve trained Lucilla well,” Aja laughed.

  “Oh yeah.”

  “And the boys like it too,” Layla said.

  “I am not going up there carrying a dozen lattes,” Denise laughed.

  “Did we plan on staying here?” Aja asked.

  “Let’s see what today brings. It can’t be that hard to get a room in a city this size if we choose to stay,” Denise said.

  “Shall we?” Layla said.

  “Let’s.”

  We’re on our way up.

  Great.

  They passed through the lobby to the elevator and took it to the third floor. When the door opened Lucius walked into the elevator looking down at a piece of paper he was holding in his hand and bumped into Aja trying to exit.

  “Inquilina, I mean Denise. It is good to see you all. Apologies for my clumsiness.”

  “Hello Lucius. What do you have there?”

  “A shopping list, for Starbucks,” he smiled. He could not seem to keep his eyes off Aja.

  “Aja, Lucius, Lucius, our dear friend Aja.”

  “Hello Lucius.”

  “Please forgive me. Did I hurt you?”

  “No Lucius. I’m used to having my toes stepped on.”

  Lucius disappeared behind the closed doors. Denise could see Lucilla standing outside her room waving.

  “So that was one of them?” Aja said.

  “Yes, and the only one who is still, uhm, single,” Layla said.

  “He looked a bit smitten by you my dear,” Denise grinned.

  “Of course he did, I mean look at me,” Aja laughed.

  “Oh you read my mind again,” Lucilla said when Denise handed her a latte. She followed them into her room where Marcus was sitting by the window. The walls were a combination of bright warm red and white, the floor carpeted in a rich deep shade of purple.

  “This is one of the nicest rooms I’ve ever been in, well, in a hotel at least,” Denise said.

  “Yes it is. I decided on this one because there is a Starbucks across the street.”

  “That’s where these are from, and we just ran into Lucius heading down there with a list in hand,” Layla said.

  “Literally ran into us, well one of us. Aja, this is Lucilla and Marcus, guys this is my dear friend Aja.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Lucilla said.

  “Any friend of Denise and Layla is a friend of mine,” Marcus said.

  “Where’s the rest of the gang, on this floor?”

  “Yes. Maria and Diana are doubled up in a room with a few queen size beds. Everyone else has their own place.”

  “And how is every one today? Lucius seemed to be in good spirits,” Denise a
sked.

  “Ready to enjoy a day in the park.”

  “I hear it’s quite some park,” Layla said.

  “I’m sure it’s spectacular.”

  They sat down to catch up on everything. Denise did not let anyone know of the plans they were laying yet. She thought it best to discuss it with everyone at the same time.

  Aja had many questions for Marcus. She seemed amazed by their presence and the circumstances surrounding it.

  There was a knock at the door. It was Lucius with lattes for Lucilla and Marcus.

  “Thank you Lucius. It’s a good day to be wired on lattes,” Lucilla laughed, taking the final sips of the first one.

  “Well, if you will excuse me,” Lucius said, unable to control a smile as he gazed at Aja on his way out the door.

  Excuse me if I’m wrong, but I believe Lucius is REALLY smitten by you, Denise said.

  Indeed, Aja giggled.

  See, this is not that hard at all.

  I could really get used to it.

  Denise explained that they were only in town for the day, and would like to get out and see some of the city before heading to the park later.

  “Today is on me by the way. This should pay for everything,” Denise said, handing Lucilla an envelope bulging with cash.

  “Denise, darling, this is not necessary.”

  “We’ll meet you at the park.”

  “Enjoy the rest of your morning.”

  “We shall.”

  56

  Golden Gate

  The rest of the morning was spent checking out some San Francisco sites.

  “I could live here,” Aja said.

  “It’s an amazing city. Beautiful,” Layla said.

  “Would love to live near an ocean one day,” Denise said.

  “I could never live somewhere that is land locked,” Aja said.

  “Well, where we are at in Southern Illinois, there are many lakes and they are all quite beautiful.”

  “As you know from our tale, we have a lot of experience with lakes from Southern Illinois and points south of there,” Layla laughed.

  “You know, the Golden Gate Bridge, I think, has been destroyed in more disaster movies than any other bridge,” Denise said.

  “New York has got to be right up there with a city being destroyed by some disaster,” Aja said.